David Prowse

Actor

Born: 1 July 1935

Birthplace: Bristol, England

Best known as:

The actor who played Darth Vader in Star Wars

Tall and broad-shouldered, David Prowse played the menacing villain Darth Vader in the 1977 film Star Wars. The film was a hit and Vader became Prowse's signature role, one he played in two sequels: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983). David Prowse was once a competitive weightlifter, and his physique was his entree into the movies: he also appeared in the films Hammerhead (1968), The Horror of Frankenstein (1970) and as the wheelchair-carrying bodyguard in Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange (1971). He published an autobiography, Straight From the Force's Mouth, in 2011.

Extra credit:

David Prowse did the physical acting only for Darth Vader; the voice was dubbed by James Earl Jones... Prowse also was the Green Cross Man, spokesman for a British public safety program... David Prowse is 6'7" tall... On his official website, Prowse lists his dream role as James Bond.